Why her?
by Chelseadaggz
Summary: Emma Swan is sick and tired of her Mom taking them all over the country looking to 'find' herself, when the search brings them to the sleepy town of Storybrooke it seems Emma has been the one to 'find' something, someone - Regina Mills, how will Emma overcome her growing desire to see the brunette in spite of the girl's idiotic and possibly abusive boyfriend Leo? AU SwanQueen


"Hey," the brunette smiled down at the blonde occupying the window booth, she smiled shyly as she caught the diner's eyes roaming over her lean body. "My eyes are up here by the way."

Instead of the stumbling excuse she had expected, the blonde simply smirked before speaking, "oh, I know where your eyes are sweetheart." Her green eyed gaze couldn't be more predatory if she tried, it sent a jolt of excitement through the young girl's body as she pointedly held out her pad and pen. "I'll take a cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake."

"Little cliché don't you think?" she whispered as she leaned in further than necessary to take the menu from the young girl, she had always enjoyed the easy banter that came from those of the same sex, there was none of the same nervousness as with boys her age. They were too busy trying to keep a certain appendage down to actually form words never mind hold a conversation; it was refreshing to say the least.

The blonde raised her eyebrows in challenge, "oh, believe me darling…I'm anything but predictable." She winked to leave no room for question as to what she was referring revelling in the deep blush that crawled up the brunette's as she retreated from the table.

"Let's hope not," and with that she was gone, her long legs leading her into the back with an extra sway in her hips that was all for the blonde's benefit. Maybe it wasn't going to be so bad here.

She didn't look up when the bell above the diner sounded, the hairs standing on the back of her neck gave her enough warning, "Emma Swan!" came the shrill tones of her mother, "Where in heavens name have you been?"

Emma simply turned to the woman standing in the doorway with a look that read 'isn't it obvious?'

"I have been worried sick about you young lady," apparently not, "you cannot just leave like that without telling me where you are going." There was no escaping now as she neared the booth that her daughter occupied continuing on with a rant about the dangers of getting lost in a new place with no knowledge of the area or who inhabited it. It was safe to say that there were a good few people looking their way now, teenagers around Emma's age not even trying to hide the smirks on their faces as they watched her being ripped into like a child. She was sixteen years old for god sake, 2 years and she would be free, just 2 years.

She winked in appreciation as a long, pale arm placed her food on the table in front of her, still oblivious to her mother's ramblings. She'd grown used to them over time and had subsequently been able to drown her out completely, especially when food was involved. "And how do you suppose you will be paying for that?" the screech she heard, as well as the snickers coming from the booth in front occupied by a slightly older looking boy with his arm wrapped possessively around a brunette who looked to be around the same age as Emma.

Long dark curls cascaded down over her shoulders; the front was braided intricately in order to keep it from falling into her deep brown eyes. She had a small button nose, the blonde would describe it as cute if she were that sort of a sap…endearing maybe? Her full bottom lip was pulled between a row of dazzling white teeth as she furrowed her brow in concentration on the pad of paper on the table before her, a pen was held delicately between long fingers, she was absolutely oblivious to everything around her – even the oaf still sniggering beside her as he stared pointedly at Emma.

Sensing the focus of her gaze wasn't on him but the brunette beside him; he leaned in and placed a hard kiss on her temple as if to prove she was his. The look that followed the public display of affection though only caused a wide grin to adorn Emma's features.

"Come on Leo, I'm working," if the blonde was captivated by the sheer sight of the girl, she was absolutely enthralled at the sound of her deep voice. It was like liquid gold, like honey being drizzled over pancakes…it was incredible.

"Emma, are you even listening to me?" her mother's voice brought her back to reality with a snap as she turned to look at her, she gave a small nod and attempted to refocus on the brunette in the booth opposite but was stopped again by the sound of her mother's voice, "tell me what I just said then."

Emma rolled her eyes at the smug grin waiting to break out on the woman's face at having bested her daughter, "you asked if I wanted you to accompany me on the bus to school tomorrow seeing as it is my first day and it is okay to be nervous," she suppressed a chuckle at the speed in which her mother's face dropped, "I don't by the way."

When she turned once again to look at the girl, she found her to be gone along with the idiot who appeared to be her boyfriend. Why the blonde cared if she had left or not she didn't know but she couldn't deny the desire to see her again…strange.

* * *

"Emma Swan, if you don't get out of that bed this instant I'll…"

"You'll what?" came the surly remark as Emma descended the stairs onto the main floor, "what exactly is it you will do to me mother?"

A stern look was all she received before a plate of pancakes and bacon were thrust onto the kitchen counter in front of her, she raised an eyebrow in defiance before sitting on the bar stool and working on her breakfast. Today she was going to be enrolling at Storybrooke High, a dumb name belonging to an even dumber town. She hated the claustrophobic feeling of such a small place, she felt as though everyone was in each other's pockets, in each other's business constantly. She missed the coming and going of the busy city, the way in which she could just become invisible in a crowd for as long as she wanted and whenever she felt the need to. It was suffocating being here and she had made sure her mother knew that every single day of the tail end of what was possibly the shittiest summer of her entire life.

It had been spent packing up their old life to haul it across the country in order to inhabit this idiotic town. They had been here for around a week now and other than yesterday's venture over to the diner, Emma had not left the apartment. They'd had a couple of visitors clutching baskets of muffins and other stereotypical welcome foods, she didn't want them but she wouldn't let good food go to waste – that was just bad form.

There had been one potential stalker in the form of a tall, flannel wearing vet whose name she couldn't be bothered to remember, all she knew is that he had been 'just passing by' too many times to be seen as normal. Her mother didn't seem to mind though, she turned into one of those idiotic women who couldn't seem to stop laughing at every single word from a man's mouth and apparently she had developed an arm spasm meaning that at every possible moment it shot out in order to touch one of the hillbilly's arms. Sickening really.

* * *

The Mills household was run like clock-work, 6:30am Regina would wake up and begin getting ready for the day, her clothes will have been laid out the night before by the housemaid with instructions of what her daughter will be wearing for the day. Going about her morning routine required no thought whatsoever now, it was the same thing every time. She would tie her hair back from her face in order to wash it and brush her teeth, then she would moisturize as per her mother's request, clean through her nails ensuring there was no dirt and all were the same length. There was no room for mistake, it would only be checked later and she had gone so long without having to hide a mark if her mother got too carried away in punishing her, she didn't really feel like going back to that. She would then braid the front of her hair leaving the rest to pour onto her shoulders like a dark waterfall, it was one thing to be superior to those around you but another to hold the power of seduction her mother had always told her. She wanted none of that and she hated that the majority of people at her school truly feared her because of the reputation her mother held, it was unfair and made it extremely hard for Regina to make friends growing up. It soon got to a point where she convinced herself it didn't matter, that she didn't need to have a girlfriend to turn to when she needed to vent or share gossip that she had heard earlier that day, no.

So she threw herself into schoolwork, she was top of the class and always strived for more, the teachers would always report back to her mother, speaking of how committed and intelligent she was. The mistake came when they would talk of her sweetness and willingness to help, Cora saw this type of behaviour as weakness, a kind of slavery if she weren't getting paid to share her superior knowledge with the idiots around her. She would have been sent to a private school long ago if it weren't for her mother's lack of trust and need for control, so she was kept here by her side where she could keep a watchful eye over her at all times.

At 7:30am she would make her way downstairs and into the kitchen to eat the breakfast that her mother had instructed the chef to make. It was always healthy and tasteless. Food was merely a necessity and not a luxury, this had been drilled into Regina since she was a child – she knew it was another way for Cora to control her, in this way she was controlling her body. Too much sugar might just give her the courage to stand up to the woman, gods forbid she be allowed a voice in her own house.

The bus would stop outside of her house come 8:00am so it gave her the time to wonder on down to the apple tree in the front yard that she had planted with her dear departed father when she was just a child. Memories of time spent with him were the only happy ones she had, he would take her riding after school at the stables his father had left upon passing and would teach her how to look after herself because, he had told her, she was going to need it in this world. What she hadn't realized until much later was that he had really meant against her mother, he was teaching her to survive in such a suffocated existence and he had prepared her well. She knew well enough when to speak and when to wait to be spoken to, she was able to suppress any kinds of fear or hurt by reverting to a place that made her happiest to be – with him down by their special spot near the lake.

They had spent hours upon hours in her childhood just exploring the woods that bordered their small town and during this time they had found a small clearing. It was beautiful, the grass was an unbelievably vibrant green, the flowers were of a variety she had yet to learn the name of but they decorated the place beautifully and the small lake looked as though it had been placed there just for the addition of its beauty to such a place. It had since turned into her sanctuary of sorts, any chance she was able to get away from her mother and Leo she took to venture out there and just write in the journal she had kept since her childhood.

Leo wasn't her choice, as was a running theme in her life, her mother chose him for Regina. She had heard of his family's wealth and status when they had moved to Storybrooke and so it was her daughter's mission to win his heart. He was an arrogant boy, vain and filled with self-importance. There was nothing redeemable about him yet Cora insisted Regina stick it out if only to heighten her own status within the community. It was something that mattered not as, upon graduating, she would be leaving the town to attend college somewhere far from here. She had yet to discuss it with her mother and knew the outcome of that conversation. Her only salvation was the fact that she would be turning eighteen in 2 years-time and no longer anchored to her mother, just 2 years.

* * *

She had chosen to start out her school year wearing one of her many tank tops and a pair of skinny jeans that looked as though they had been painted on – she had to make an impression. She finished the look of with her favourite red leather jacket before shouting a quick goodbye from over her shoulder and making her way out into the street in order to track down the bus stop.

Rounding the corner, she couldn't help the smirk that graced her features as she spotted a certain leggy brunette making her way out of the diner. Today may not be so torturous after all, "hey there good looking."

"Oh, are you always such a sweet talker or is that just reserved for me?" the brunette joked as she took in the blonde sauntering towards her, "you starting at Brookers today?" at the confused look she received, she explained, "Storybrooke High…Brookers?"

"Nice," Emma laughed, "catchy."

"I know right?" the sarcasm was still evident in her attempt to sound like a bimbo; Emma could already tell she was going to get along with this girl if nothing else. They walked towards the, now visible, bus stop and spoke of themselves. Emma found that Ruby hated her job at the diner but it was owned by her Grandmother and so had no choice in the matter, her parents had died many years before and the woman had practically raised her, she owed her a lot. Ruby found that Emma had a tumultuous relationship with her mother who was on the constant search for love. It had taken them to many cities and states in their time until it had finally brought them here. She told of how idiotic she found the whole notion of finding one's true love and living happily ever after.

"Fairy tale ideologies do not belong in modern society," she had stated to a wide eyed Ruby, she had the sense to blush as she muttered, "English lit lover."

The stereotypical yellow school bus sputtered to a stop beside them as Emma noticed two others climbing aboard, a small red-head wearing glasses mumbled thanks to the driver as she stumbled on down the aisle, next was a slightly scruffy though admittedly handsome boy who looked to be perhaps a year or 2 older than Emma was. His blue/grey eyes sparkled when he shot a smile her way that she couldn't help but return before he disappeared as well onto the bus. Next was Ruby, she made sure to appreciate the stairs leading onto the bus as she kept her eyes glued to the deliciously firm ass before her. Finally it was her turn, as predicted the bus went practically silent as she was sized up by her future classmates, with an eye roll she pointedly ignored them and sauntered to the back of the bus where Ruby now sat with a knee-high sock clad leg resting on one of the double seats meaning she had to take the only free set left.

She had thought, looking at the fullness of the bus, that they would now be taken to the school but apparently they had one more stop to make. The house they pulled up in front of was huge, it was white washed and the first mansion Emma had ever seen up close. The hedges were trimmed in the typically square shape and the garden was immaculate, as she looked more she saw a figure placing a hand to the grand apple tree standing in the middle of the lawn before turning to walk towards the bus, it was her!

Her dark hair fell the same as it had the previous day, she wore a pale blue day dress that floated to just above her knees with black pumps adorning her small feet. Her arms were bare apart from the small sleeves the dress provided, the unusually warm weather had held up so such attire was to be expected. As she neared the bus Emma's heart fluttered, there was only one seat left and it was beside her, she would have to sit beside the blonde! Why the hell did that excite her so much? It was unsettling for Emma to become so affected by the brunette's presence, she had always been attracted to both girls and boys but there was something about this particular person.

She didn't pay Emma much mind when she took the seat beside her; she gave her a small smile that resembled the one sent across in recognition of Ruby, before pulling out a book to study just as she had been the day before in the diner.

Emma's eyes fluttered shut as she was hit with the scent that washed over her when the girl flipped her long hair to rest behind her shoulder to keep it out of the way. She smelled of apples and clean linen, there was something else that Emma could only guess was unique to this particular brunette, it was delicious and it was addictive and the blonde knew she was gone now, she needed to find out this girl's name, hear her speak again, make her laugh, anything just to get to know her and that is what scared Emma the most. She had never wanted any of that before so why now? Why this girl?

The blonde wasn't sure but as she watched the girl beside her lose herself once more into the book she knew she couldn't just let the feeling go and, as terrifying as it may seem to someone like Emma, she didn't want to. Let the games begin.


End file.
